245. Atlantic Brewing New Guy IPA

Was excited to find this one at Tully's in Wells as I drink Maine beer whenever I can and also love a good IPA. This is my fourth beer from Atlantic Brewing Company and probably my favorite so far (although I do have to try the Summer Ale again as I think I had an old bottle the first time). The beer is generic in color, head and minimal lacing on the glass. Aroma is also fairly standard of an IPA with some citrus notes.

Taste is smooth and well balanced with a fair amount of citrus hops that are nicely balanced by the sweet malts. Overall this is a solid beer but nothing makes it stand out among the many other IPAs on the market. If you like supporting local beer and enjoy a decent IPA certainly add this one to your Summer drinking list. 
Pros: Easy to drink and local

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  

Brewers Website: Atlantic Brewing

Brewers Description: Not currently listed on website

244. Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA

First you may notice the new glass from beerme. Had lunch with the owner on Friday and he gave me a glass, bottle opener and koozie. Click here to check out more merchandise including; t-shirts, glasses, stickers, etc. This is all high quality stuff from a local Maine small business. 


Now to the beer - I enjoy the occasional beer from Shipyard. In Maine if you go to a wedding or conference you can almost always get Shipyard Export as an option. I rarely buy Shipyard beer but they have been advertising their new Monkey Fist IPA a lot, posting YouTube videos (link here) and really hyping this beer as something different. It is slightly different than other options from Shipyard but still only middle of the road in my opinion. Read more after the break  

243. Sixpoint The Crisp

Another option from Sixpoint purchased at Tully's in Wells, ME. This one is probably my least favorite from Sixpoint so far however it probably has more to do with the style than the beer itself. I really do not enjoy pilsners but will continue to try them to see if there is something out there that will change my mind. 

Beer pours a pale yellow with very thin head and lacing. Aroma is almost non-existent with only a very light cut grass smell. The beer is light and well carbonated with some sweet malt and light citrus. Ends with a fair amount of bitterness. Certainly drinkable as I did finish the 4-pack over the weekend but not something I would purchase again. I just do not get too excited about pilsners but if they are your thing you will enjoy this one from Sixpoint. 

Pros: Clean and crisp

Cons:  Its a pilsner

Alcohol Content: 5.4% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 42
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Sixpoint

Brewers Description: There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior... The original Sehr Crisp from Sixpoint. Brewed with noble hops for indelible sehr crisp flavor.

242. Sixpoint Sweet Action

I made my first trip to Tullly's in Wells, Maine last week to talk to the owner about beer and check out their incredible selection. Dawn was nice enough to provide me with a Tully's glass for some of my future pictures and while I was there I picked up a few options from Sixpoint as well a 6-pack of singles which you will be seeing soon. They have a great selection of bombers and numerous coolers full of 6-packs as well as wine, mead and a few cigars. The owner and the employee were very knowledgeable and willing to help. They also seem to have some great customers as several people came in while I was there and all were very happy to stop and talk beer for a bit.


Sweet Action from Sixpoint is certainly an interesting beer. Their site describes it as part pale ale, part wheat and part cream ale. That is quite a mix of styles but somehow when it comes together it is very good. Color is a dark orange almost red again with a very nice white head. Aroma has a bit of citrus and some malt character. Smell is enough to draw you in but not nearly as aromatic as their Apollo. I have not had many cream ales so there is not a lot to compare this to but the flavor is subdued and fairly simple but certainly satisfying. The beer is smooth and has a great mouth feel, very easy to drink. If you like beer (and I assume you do or you would have given up reading a while ago) you should give this one a try. 
Pros: Easy drinking

Cons: Simple taste

Alcohol Content: 5.2% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 34
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Sixpoint

Brewers Description: Ah love is bitter and sweet, but which is more sweet... The original Sixpoint style- hard to define, but perhaps that's why people love it. Part pale ale, part wheat, part cream ale - all Sweet Action.

241. Widmer Brothers Nelson Imperial IPA

Picked this one up at RSVP a couple of weeks ago and was not sure where the name Nelson Imperial IPA came from. Assumed it was named after the brewer but in fact it is named after a variety of hop from New Zealand.


Beer pours a dark orange almost amber color with a nice white head. Lots of grapefruit and citrus aromas coming from this one. The taste is all hops to start but evened out nicely by the sweet malts Complex flavor which changes a bit as the beer warms. Easy to drink for the amount of alcohol in and leaves little to no aftertaste. Very well done. 
Pros: Complex flavor

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 8.6% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 70Rating:
Brewers Website: Widmer Brothers

Brewers Description: Take your taste buds on a journey to the far side of the world. New Zealand's legendary Nelson Sauvin hop gives us a powerful hoppy character, but none of the heaviness you sometimes find in imperials IPAs. The result is a big brew with a sweet, malty character that perfectly balances the intense hop aroma and flavor.

240. Magic Hat Circus Boy

I enjoy beer from Magic Hat as they always seem to put a slight twist on a style to make it their own. Magic Hat also some of the best bottle artwork and a great website. 


Circus Boy is Magic Hat's Hefeweizen and pours a very clear pale orange. Their site states this beer is unfiltered but almost everything must have settled out of it. I prefer a nice cloudy Hefe like Widmer's version (here). Very slight white head that disappears very quickly. Aroma is fairly typical of the style; lemon, wheat and a bit of banana. Taste is sweet with some spice and lemon. Very pleasant and refreshing although it may be a bit over carbonated.
Pros: Solid taste and easy to drink

Cons: Very clear for a hefeweizen

Alcohol Content: 4.5% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 15

Rating:  

Brewers Website: Magic Hat

Brewers Description: Unfiltered and unfettered, Circus Boy is a unique and refreshing American-style Hefeweizen. Is he a who? Or a what? Or perhaps some of both? Be amazed by the flavorful haze of this wonderful wheat beer.

239. Sebago Brewing Trekker Pale Ale

Thanks to Kevin @ Sebago Brewing I was able to pickup 2 bottles of Trekker Pale Ale last week and enjoyed one on Sunday afternoon. This is the beer that I "helped" to brew during Sebago's Brewing for a Cause day back in April. If you have not been to this read my blog post here. This was a great event and if you are at all interested in craft beer, the brew process or simply hanging out with others that enjoy good beer I highly recommend you attend next year. If you do I am sure to see you there as this is going to be an annual event for me.


The Trekker Pale Ale from Sebago is a great example of the style and probably my second favorite pale ale in the 230+ beers I have had. My favorite so far is Edward by Hill Farmstead and that hardly qualifies as a pale ale as it is hoppier than many IPAs. If you had to sit someone down and give them an example of a quality pale ale Trekker would be my choice. Color is a nice orange with a slight white head. Aroma is nicely balanced with some hops and malts both apparent. Taste follows the nose with malts up front and the hops kick in late and linger a bit. The beer is very easy to drink, refreshing and leaves you wanting another even after a 22 oz bottle. Really enjoyed this beer and glad I have another to share with friends over the Memorial Day weekend. 
Pros: Good representation of the style

Cons: Available for a very limited time as it sells out quickly  

Alcohol Content: 6.1% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Sebago Brewing

Brewers Description: Trekker Pale Ale was brewed at Brewing For A Cause, a fundraiser for the Trek Across Maine - a 3-day, 180 mile bike ride in support of the mission of the American Lung Association. This beer was our fastest selling Single Batch Series beer in 2011 and we've brewed a double batch this year for all our thirsty guests! Trekker Pale Ale (6.1% ABV) is a classic American pale ale. It is light bronze in color, with a moderate malt character up front that gives way to an increasing hop aroma with a clean dry finish. Available starting Friday May 11th on draft and in 22oz bottles.

238. Sixpoint Apollo

This is my third beer from Sixpoint and this is my favorite although the other 2 were also excellent. This is a new style for me - Kristalweizen which apparently is similar to Hefeweizen but is filtered. 


Great orange color with solid white head on this beer. The aroma is amazing with lots of banana, melon and sweetness. Not sure I picked up everything that was happening in the smell but trust me it is great and will certainly entice you to take a drink. The taste is not quite as strong as the smell but still has tons of flavor that follows the smell and a nice sweet finish.


This is a great Summer beer and something I would recommend to most beer drinkers. 
Pros: Huge aroma and complex taste

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 5.2% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 11
Rating:  

Brewers Website: Sixpoint

Brewers Description: The unmistakable flavor of a Bavarian Wheat, but with a clear golden brilliance and a Sixpoint twist. An entirely unique canned offering for the sun-worshipping ale lovers.

237. Sixpoint Bengali Tiger

Picked up a 4-pack of this at The Vault in Lewiston on Friday as they started to stock the Sixpoint Resin, Bengali Tiger and Apollo. Susan is working hard to improve her craft beer selection and has hired a beer guy to help staff the store and choose some new beer. If you have not checked out the store recently you should stop by.


Bengali Tiger is Sixpoint's IPA (Resin is their Double IPA) and this one comes in 16 oz cans instead of the 12 oz cans that Resin comes in. The beer pours a nice deep orange color with thick white head. Plenty of aroma coming from this one mostly orange and a bit of malt. Taste has lots of hops; pine, citrus, floral character with a malt finish to balance things out. Very easy to drink and refreshing. Really enjoying my Sixpoint purchases. 

Pros: Hop profile, easy to drink

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 6.4% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 62
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Sixpoint

Brewers Description: What immortal hand or eye. Could frame thy fearful symmetry? The Sixpoint homebrewed IPA interpretation. Blaze orange in color, with an abundance of citrus hop bitterness, and a full pine and grapefruit bouquet in the aroma.

236. Baxter Brewing Celsius Summer Ale

I was really looking forward to the fourth offering from Baxter Brewing and when they announced 6-packs of cans were available at the brewery I was the first one there. My office is less than a mile from the brewery so it was not difficult to get over to the brewery at lunch. Picked up a 6-pack, Baxter glass and a sticker for the truck. Stuck the beer in the fridge at work and patiently waited for 4:30 to come so I could go home and give it a try. 

This is the first unfiltered offering from Baxter and I prefer unfiltered beer. It also is a summer beer with a low ABV and plenty of lemon flavor for those warm Maine summers. Beer pours a nice deep yellow with thick white head. The smell is where this one seems off. I could not quite figure out what the aroma was but it was not pleasant and not something you usually get from beer. With 235 other beers reviewed prior to this one I can honestly say I have never smelled something like this from a beer. I chatted with a few others that have had this beer and they all mentioned an unpleasant smell so it does not seem to be just me or the batch I had. (Read more)